An Insider's Guide to Athens & Beyond: Themis Zouganeli

For Themis Zouganeli, founder and creative director of Greek fashion, lifestyle and homeware brand Themis Z, Athens is both home and a constant source of inspiration. Designed in her Athens atelier, her original patterns reflect a contemporary Greek sensibility: colorful, hospitable and effortlessly elegant. Her insider's address book is equally personal, spanning family lunches at longtime favorite restaurants, walks through Thissio and barefoot dinners by the sea. Here, she shares the places and rituals that define her Athens—and how to discover the city beyond its ancient landmarks.

What makes you proud to call yourself an Athenian?

Athens has always been home. Even though I divide my time between different places and travel constantly, Athens is where I come back to, where my atelier is, where I design and where so much of my inspiration comes from. Sometimes leaving it allows me to come back and see it again with fresh eyes.

Athens is a city of contradictions, and I think that is part of what makes it so compelling. It is ancient and modern, chaotic and elegant, urban and completely connected to the sea.

What makes me proudest is its creativity. There is an extraordinary generation of Greek designers, artists, chefs and entrepreneurs creating something that is unmistakably Greek but completely contemporary. That is also what I try to do with Themis Z—to take the spirit of Greece and express it in a way that belongs in the world today.

And, above all, there is philoxenia. The Greek instinct to welcome people, feed them, gather around a table and make them feel at home is something I am enormously proud of. It is probably the part of Greece that has influenced both my life and my work the most.

What is your favorite morning ritual in Athens?

I love walking to my atelier in the morning through Thissio. There is something about Athens early in the day—the light, the old buildings, people setting up cafés and the Acropolis suddenly appearing between the streets. That walk is one of my favorite parts of being in the city.

And then I love to stop at Zonar's (Athénée) for coffee. It has that wonderful old-Athens feeling but is still very much part of the life of the city. I love places with history that don't feel frozen in time.

What are your favorite places for lunch?

With a local friend, I like somewhere relaxed where lunch can go on much longer than intended. Papadakis is always wonderful—the food is Greek and uncomplicated, but beautifully done.

For somebody visiting Athens, I would take them to Dionysos Zonar's. The view of the Acropolis is extraordinary, but for me, it is also a very personal place because I designed a collection of tableware exclusively for the restaurant.

With family, we always go back to L’abreuvoir. It has been an Athens staple since the 1970s, with a beautiful garden, and it's one of those places we've been going to as a family for years.

For a romantic lunch, I love Agora Riviera in Vouliagmeni. Sitting by the sea over a long lunch feels like a little escape from the city.

What are your favorite places for dinner?

With friends, I love Ratka. It's a classic and one of those places where the whole Athens social scene seems to come together.

For someone visiting from out of town, I would take them to Dolli's. It has a beautiful view of the Acropolis and gives you that wonderful sense of being in Athens.

If they love the sea, I would take them to Ithaki for fish by the water.

For romance, I love Aperando Galazio in Varkiza. It's a simple little fish taverna literally on the beach, with tables on the sand. You can take your shoes off and walk barefoot by the sea, and although you're still in Athens, you feel as though you've escaped to a Greek island. For me, that's incredibly romantic.

Do you have a favorite food shop?

The Athens Central Market and the little specialist shops around it. I love seeing the ingredients, colors and abundance. Food and hospitality are such an enormous part of Greek culture, and I find markets endlessly inspiring.

What is your favorite museum to visit over again?

The Benaki Museum. I can go back repeatedly because it tells the story of Greece through objects, clothes, craftsmanship and everyday life—all things that fascinate me as a designer.

What museum would you recommend to a first-time visitor?

The Acropolis Museum. Even if you think you know the Acropolis, seeing the sculptures up close completely changes your understanding of it. The relationship between the museum and the Parthenon itself is incredibly powerful.

What is your favorite cultural ritual in Athens, and why?

Going to the ancient theaters in the summer. There is something extraordinary about watching a performance in a place where people have been gathering for the same reason for thousands of years. I particularly love the experience of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Culture in Athens doesn't feel separated from the city; it is woven into it.

What is your favorite neighborhood to wander in?

Thissio and the streets around the Acropolis. I love that you can wander without a plan. There are neoclassical houses, tiny streets, cafés, ruins and glimpses of the Acropolis everywhere. It is ancient and completely alive at the same time.

What activity do you recommend to first-time visitors?

Walk. Don't try to experience Athens only from a car. Start around the Acropolis and wander through Plaka, Anafiotika and Thissio. Athens reveals itself in layers, and some of the most beautiful moments are completely unplanned.

And then go to the Athens Riviera. People often come to Athens for its antiquity and forget that it is also a Mediterranean city. The sea is such an important part of how I think about Athens. Within a short drive you can swim, have lunch by the water and feel as though you've left the city completely. For me, wellness isn't necessarily a spa. It's walking, being outside and being near the sea. A swim followed by a long lunch is probably my most Greek version of wellness.

Do you have a favorite hotel?

The Hotel Grande Bretagne will always be special. It has history, elegance and one of the great views of the city. Even if you aren't staying there, having a drink on the terrace reminds you how beautiful Athens can be.

What is your favorite place to shop for a special gift?

Our Themis Z shop in Athens. It really represents what I love about contemporary Greece. Everything feels Greek, but in an international way. You can find pieces for the home and wardrobe that have a strong sense of Greece without ever feeling traditional or folkloric.

I love discovering small Greek designers and craftsmen rather than simply going to the international stores. There is a new generation of Greek creativity that is much more sophisticated and international than people sometimes expect.

Do you have a favorite film set in Athens?

I don't have one particular film, but I love the Greek films of the 1960s. I would recommend watching any of those wonderful old movies because they capture such a special atmosphere of Athens at that time—the elegance, the glamour, the streets, the way people dressed and lived. They transport you to another Athens, and I find that fascinating.